Orange County Car Accident Attorney

Have you been injured in a car accident? If another person is responsible for causing the accident, you may be entitled to recover compensation from them.

At the Law Offices of John Rapillo, our Orange County car accident attorneys can help you maximize the amount of money you receive. Call us today to request a free consultation with our experienced team. We will review your case, outline your legal options, and answer the questions you have.

Car Accidents in Orange County, CA

Orange County Accidents Resulting in Injury and Death

Orange County roads tend to be some of the most dangerous in the state of California. Over the past few years, the rate of injury-causing and fatal car accidents has been fairly consistent, with a slight increase, overall.

2011: 19,462

2012: 20,225

2013: 14,839

2014: 19,873

2015: 21,451.

Fatal Orange County Car Accidents

Orange County accidents are also becoming more dangerous. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that the number of fatal accidents in Orange County is also on the rise. In fact, the number of fatal car accidents in the OC has increased by more than 20 percent since 2012:

Did you know that insurance companies don’t want you to hire an attorney if you’ve been in an accident? It’s true. Insurers are more interested in protecting their profits than helping you get the compensation you deserve. They know that when you hire an Orange County personal injury attorney your claim is more likely to be successful. Here’s how we can help you after your accident.

We Give You the Time to Recover

The last thing you need to do after your accident is try to juggle your physical recovery with a lawsuit. In fact, you can jeopardize your recovery if you don’t give it the proper attention and focus.

When you hire the Law Office of John Rapillo to handle your case, we take care of all of your legal issues. This gives you the time and energy you need to concentrate on getting better. You can rest assured that your personal injury case is in experienced and capable hands.

We Make Sure Insurance Companies Are Held Accountable

Insurance companies are notoriously difficult to deal with after an accident. They will do whatever they can to minimize the compensation you receive. Some may deny your claim altogether without doing a proper investigation. Others may try to convince you to accept a low offer right away by taking advantage of a stressful situation.

We have been dealing with insurance companies in the area for more than three decades. We know the tactics they like to use and, most importantly, understand how to diffuse them. We will aggressively pursue compensation on your behalf and demand that insurers offer you a fair and reasonable settlement.

We Make Sure Your Case is Valued Properly

When you handle a claim on your own, you risk letting an insurance company decide how much your case is worth. Since they want to minimize the amount of money you get, it’s safe to say that they will likely undervalue your case. Whether you’re in an auto accident in Orange County, Los Angeles, or San Diego, our personal injury lawyers will thoroughly investigate your accident and injuries.

We work with experts to make sure that the full extent of your harm is identified. This includes both actual and projected costs. This approach allows us to make sure that your case is valued properly. This is essential if you want to make sure that you recover all of the compensation you deserve.

We Can Help You Get Money Even If You Share Fault

In California, anyone who contributes to an accident can be responsible for damages. This includes individuals who may have been injured, as well. If you share fault for an accident, insurance companies will be quick to use that information against you. They will want to scare you into accepting a low offer or resigning to the fact that you can’t recover compensation.

As your attorneys, we will make sure that you are able to get the money you deserve. Through our investigation, we will search for evidence that shifts blame to others. The less fault you share for the accident, the more money you will be able to recover.

What Kind of Injuries Can I Get Money For?

At the Law Offices of John Rapillo, our attorneys are dedicated to helping you recover compensation for any injuries you suffer in a car accident. No injury is too big or too small for our team of skilled attorneys.

We have successfully represented clients and helped to recover millions in compensation for a wide range of car accident injuries, including:

Contact us today for help recovering the compensation you deserve after your car accident.

Who Can Be Held Responsible For My Injuries?

Liability for car accidents will depend on the underlying cause of the crash. In California, more than one person can be held financially responsible for your injuries. When you hire the Law Offices of John Rapillo to represent you, our attorneys will thoroughly investigate your accident and pinpoint all potentially liable defendants.

Other Motorists

All drivers on the road, including motorcyclists, truck drivers, and bus drivers, have an obligation to drive safely. This means that they must have a valid license, use caution while operating their vehicle, and follow all posted traffic laws. When a driver breaches the duty of care they owe to others on the road, accidents can happen. If another driver’s negligent behavior causes an accident and injury, you can hold them financially responsible for damages.

Pedestrians

Pedestrians must exercise caution when sharing the road with cars, bicycles, and other vehicles. This means that they must exercise care, stick to dedicated sidewalks, and cross roads at marked intersections when the signal indicates it is safe. Pedestrians who jump out into traffic, jaywalk, or become distracted by their cell phones can be dangerous to nearby traffic. If a pedestrian’s negligence causes you to suffer an injury, they may be responsible for your costs and harms.

Car Manufacturers

Any company that designs, manufactures, or sells a car has an obligation to make sure that the vehicle can be used safely. When a product is defective, the company who is responsible for putting it on the market can be held strictly liable for injuries.

Employers

Sometimes employees are required to drive for their company or employer. Employers must ensure that all employees are properly trained and drive safely. When an on-the-clock employee causes an accident, their employer may be held responsible for damages.

Rideshare Drivers and Companies

Companies like Uber and Lyft have thousands of drivers on the road. Orange County is no stranger to the rideshare phenomenon. If you are injured in an accident with an Uber or Lyft driver, the driver and/or the rideshare company may be held responsible for damages.

Orange County and California

State, county, and local government agencies have a responsibility to maintain roads, bridges, and tunnels. When dangerous conditions are present on Orange County roads, the government can be held responsible for your injuries if they did not take steps to fix the hazard.

What If I Was Partially At-Fault the Car Accident?

In California, you can recover compensation for an injury even if you are partially at-fault. The state follows the rule of pure comparative negligence, which simply means that the amount of compensation you can get will be reduced by your own degree of fault. As long as someone else also contributed to your injury-causing accident, you can recover monetary damages.

The Other Driver Didn’t Have Insurance. What Can I Do?

While all drivers in California are required to carry minimally-acceptable amounts of car insurance, some do not. This does not mean that you will not be able to recover compensation after an accident with an underinsured or uninsured motorist.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Insurance companies are required, by law, to offer Uninsured Motorist Coverage to California drivers. This coverage can be purchased in addition to standard insurance coverage. When you are involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured motorist, you can collect benefits directly from your insurer.

Personal Injury Lawsuit

You also have the option of filing a personal injury lawsuit against anyone who is responsible for causing your accident or injury. If the uninsured driver is the only at-fault party, recovering damages in this way can be difficult.

What Damages Are Available to Car Accident Victims?

Car accident victims in Orange County will generally be able to recover both economic and non-economic damages. The specific type and amount that you can receive will depend on the severity of your injuries.

Economic Damages

Economic damages, which are commonly known as compensatory damages, are paid to victims to make up for out-of-pocket financial costs related to an accident and injury. These damages help to put a victim back in the financial position they would have been in if the accident had never happened.

Examples include:

Medical bills

Rehabilitation

Travel expenses for medical treatment

Nursing care

Lost wages

Reduced earning capacity, and

Property damage.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are paid to help victims with injuries that may not have direct financial costs. These injuries tend to be very personal and are difficult to value monetarily.

Examples include:

Pain and suffering

Embarrassment

Disfigurement

Anxiety

Emotional distress

Loss of sexual relations, and

Loss of enjoyment of life.

Have you been injured in an Orange County crash? Call the Law Offices of John Rapillo for help getting the monetary damages you both need and deserve.

When Can I File a Car Accident Lawsuit in Orange County, CA?

The statute of limitations for bodily injury cases in California is two years. This means that you must file a personal injury claim for damages within two years of your car accident if you want to recover monetary damages. If you do not file your claim before the statute of limitations expires you will be prevented from getting the money you deserve.

There are limited situations when the statute of limitations can be extended. If any of the extenuating circumstances apply, you may be able to file a claim after the initial two-year period:

You do not discover your accident-related injury right away, despite reasonable efforts

The defendant is incarcerated

The defendant cannot be physically located, or

You were a minor at the time of the crash.

Causes of Orange County Car Accidents

While any negligent behavior can contribute to a car accident, some causes are reported more frequently than others. The leading causes of car accidents in Orange County include:

Where Do Most Orange County, CA Car Accidents Happen?

Intersections in Orange County are particularly dangerous. In fact, approximately 30 percent of all accidents in Orange County occur at an intersection. Some intersections have proven to be more dangerous than others.

According to car accident statistics, the most dangerous intersections in Orange County are located in Stanton, Mission Viejo, Niguel, Lake Forest, and San Juan Capistrano.

Stanton

Beach Blvd and Chapman Ave

Beach Blvd and Lampson Ave

Beach Blvd and Garden Grove Blvd

Mission Viejo

Alicia Parkway and Muirlands Blvd

Alicia Parkway and Jeronimo Road

Avenida Pico and Route 5

Alicia Parkway and Route 5

Marguerite Parkway and Crown Valley Parkway

Alicia Parkway and Charlina Drive

Crown Valley Parkway and Puerta Real

Niguel

Crown Valley Parkway and Cabot Road

San Juan Capistrano

Camino Capistrano and Via de Anza

Lake Forest

El Toro Road and Trabuco Road

Speak to our Orange County Car Accident Attorneys

If you have been injured in an auto accident you may be entitled to compensation. The Orange County car accident attorneys at the Law Offices of John Rapillo can help you maximize the amount of money you get. For the past 35 years, we have successfully represented car accident victims across Orange County, recovering millions in life-changing compensation.

We offer our services on a contingency fee basis, which means that we don’t get paid unless we win. This allows you to focus your time, money, and attention on getting better while we handle the legal aspect of your recovery. Call today to request a free consultation and to learn more.

Related Articles

A Review of Law Offices of John Rapillo, A Personal Injury Law Firm

After being in a car accident I contacted John Rapillo and he immediately put my mind at ease. He was very quick to respond to any questions that I had and assured me that I would be taken care of throughout the entire process. All of my paperwork was throughly explained to me and any questions that I had were immediately answered. I highly recommend The Law Offices of John Rapillo and I am so thankful to them for all of their hard work! Thank you!

Practice Areas

Mr. Rapillo does not pass your case off to other attorneys or legal assistants. When you hire him, you have direct access to him, you get his undivided attention, and he’s committed to working hard for you with the full support of his staff and legal resources.

The Law Offices of John Rapillo are located in Newport Beach and Huntington Beach. Mr. Rapillo handles cases throughout Southern California, including Orange, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. If you are unable to travel to one of Mr. Rapillo’s offices, a consultation can be arranged at a location near you.

Visit our Orange County, CA Personal Injury Law Offices

We have two convenient locations in Orange County to serve our clients. We are located in Newport Beach, CA and in Huntington Beach, CA. Contact us to schedule a free consultation and for driving directions to our offices.